Canister-shot



A. G. SINCLAIR.

GANISTER SHOT.

Patented Jan. l5, 1884.

s Ia. m da CaSC.

` Nr'rnn STATES PATENT trice.

ALLEN G. SINCLAIR, OF BROOKLYN, NEXV YORK.

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent-No. 292,065, dated January15, 184.

Application filed December 1, 1879.

To @ZZ whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, ALLEN G. SINCLAIR, .of the city of Brooklyn, in thecounty of Kings, State of New York, have invented cert-ain new anduseful Improvements in Cauister-Shot; and I do hereby declare. that thefollowing specification, when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is such a full, clear, and exact description as will enableothers skilled in the art to make and use the same. V Y Y Myinventionrelates to the construction of canister-shot for ordnance; and itconsists in the use, in the construction with the usual small ballsemployed in this class of ammunition, of a holder for the reception ofthe balls, constructed of a spirallywrapped 'wroughtiron or othermetallic wire, (differing in diameter according to caliben) the wholebeing incased in an ordinary outside cylindrical tin case, said partsbeing assembled by mechanical means and secured by bottom and topmetallic caps, held in place by 'bending over and properly compressingthe ends ot' the outside inclosing-case, so as to formretaining-flanges.

The action of canister-shot when discharged is as follows: Vhen ordinarycanister is flred, the tendency ofthe bullets is to rapidly separate,and as the restraining elements in ordinary canister are not sutlicientto control this tendency to separate, a wide dispersiop near the muzzleof the gun follows, and in consequence a loss of useful effect atranges, say, upto three hundred yards results. The spiral wire holderoperates to retard t-helateral dispersion of the bullets, for the reasonthat it gradually elongates under the tendency of the bullets to divergerapidly from the line of tire, and thus has its spirals gradually spreadapart suicientl y to admit the passage of the balls held within it, andthereby causing the gradual dispersion of the balls, and hence securesat ordinary eanister-ranges the 1naximuni effect of this class ofprojectile, say up to three hundred yards. Other devices to obtain thesame end are in vogue; but this one secures all the advantages ofrestraint in a greater degree, and is more economical in itsconstruction.

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the empty Fig. 2 shows the ease insection and of wrought-iron or other suitable metal, of

such shape as is best adapted to support the balls 1 and be secured inplace by the case 3. The ease 3 is composed of sheet-tin or similarplate metal lap -joined or otherwise secured in circular form. Theholder 5 is formed of wire, preferably soft wrought-iron wire, which is.coiled into .spiral Yform by any common means and of a diameter to suitthe case 3 and its base 2 and head 4. It is preferable that the Spiralcoils of the holder shall be so wrapped as to bring their surfaces inimmediate contact; but a slight space may be left between them. The case3 may be omitted when some wire of proper gage isused for the holder;but that omission necessitates the adoption of expensive means forconnecting the head 4 and base 2 to said holder.

The mode of assembling is as follows: The case 3 is first made in theordinary manner and of the desired dimensions. The spirallywound wireholder, of proper diameter, is then inserted within the case 3, so as torest upon the base 2, which is placed within the case 3, so that thehanged lower end, G, ofthe case is lapped over the said base 2. Theballs are next inserted in the case, and the head 4 is placed within thecase and its upper edges are turned over the edge of the head 4, as inFigs. 1, 2, or pressed against the tapering slde walls of the same, asin Fig. 3. The whole is then compressed together by pressure, so as tocompletely assemble the ammunition and finish the projectile forservice.

Any form of head 4 may be adopted, and the ila-nge 6 may be formed inthe case 3, either before or while assembling the parts; and any othermode of construction may be employed.

I am aware that there exists a double or multiple spiral ot wires unitedtogether at one end and free at the other end, the coils of said spiralsbeing widely separated, whereby said independent spirals will, duringthe flight ot' the projectile, spread apart laterally at the unattaehedends and liberate the shrapnel or filling.

I therefore claim- 1. A holder for the bullets of canister-shot,

ICO

consisting of a single wire wound in a spiral,` 3. The combination ofaspirally-wound wire with its coils laid closely together, wherebyholder, asheet--mctal case, a metal base, and the small balls arenormally confined in place, metal head, all substantially as described.and are gradually dispersed during the flight In testimony whereof`Ihave signed my name 5 of the projectile by the gradual spreading of tothis specification in the presence of two sub- 15 said spirals. scribingwitnesses.

v4 2. The combination of aspirally-wound wire ALLEN G. SINCLAIR.

holder, asuitable head and base, and connect- Witnesses: ing meansconstituting theenvelope for canis- H. T. MUNsoN,

1o ter-shot, substantially as described. JOHN BLEscHKA.

